Good morning from a bright and sunny Cheltenham! The Violas gave me a cheery wink when I went out with my camera to see what was interesting enough to photograph amongst the detritus and windblown plants in my garden.
The Alstroemerias are suddenly enjoying the cooler temperatures and producing loads of stems to pull and bring indoors. This one is ‘Summer Break’.
Rosa ‘Darcey Bussell’ is flowering for the third time and, although she is not as shapely as usual, she certainly puts on a show! Most of my other roses are ready for the early winter chop but Darcey just keeps going.
The NIgella damascena has shed millions of seeds into the gravel path which will have to be carefully culled to leave a manageable number to flower next year. I do love a self-seeder as long as the resulting progeny are where I want them!
A few weeks ago I popped a cutting of Tradescantia pallida into a shot glass to root which it kindly has. It has also decided to flower for me! This is the third flower so far and I suspect there are more to come. Isn’t nature wonderful!
I can’t bear to throw good plants away and these bedding pelargoniums which flowered all summer outside in big pots are now tucked up in the cold greenhouse where they continue to flower their heads off. If we have a mild winter they will survive and be used again next year; if not…….compost heap here we come, but only when they have died of natural causes!
Have a great weekend
David
Davids Garden Diary 
I don’t like to let pelargoniums go either, mine get tucked away in cold frames and greenhouses. My rock roses self seed all over the gravel too!
Keep the pelargoniums going on a south east facing window chill. Works a treat – most of the time!
Probably better on a window cill!
Unfortunately, we have never been successful with pelargoniums indoors and we don’t have a glazed porch or a conservatory. Our blinds and curtains preclude plants on window cills too so they all have to take their chances in the greenhouse!
Another great show! Thank you for sharing the results of your skills and hard work!
Well thank you Christopher! A garden is a joy to have and a good place to relax and unwind. Even weeding can be good for the soul!
‘Darcey Bussell’ is a lovely rose, similar to my ‘The Prince’.
A couple of my geraniums usually survive the Winter in the greenhouse, but I loose some too. I can’t bear to through them away either!
Greetings from Stroud. I found your splendid blog while searching for rosa Jude the Obscure. It appears to be very rare, having been discontinued, and I wonder if I might be able to acquire some scion wood from you for grafting up at home?
Could I possibly visit with my trusty Felco’s please?
Good morning Dave, glad you stumbled on my blog! Well, what a surprise, I had no idea that Jude the Obscure had been discontinued and such a shame, it is a beautiful rose, usually the last to come into flower in my rose area.
We are almost into the ‘light’ pruning period so it would be a great time to take some cuttings for propagation or grafting. You are most welcome to come over and take some scion wood if you wish. Just send me a message to let me know when you would like to come.
Best wishes
David Simpson
Marvellous! Thank you very much. I’m very happy to fit in with your schedule; almost any time up til the end of the year can work, and I can be reasonably flexible timewise. Friday to Sunday work well for me as I don’t do paid work on those days.
The most critical factor is to collect and bag the prunings as soon as they are cut from the mother plant. Please let me know when would work for you.
All the best,
Dave
Dave, I am sorry but I waited until 11.15 but then had to take my wife to an appointment. I think you must have forgotten we said 10am today??
Oh no! I’m so sorry. I have it fixed in my head for tomorrow morning. What a fool.
Have I missed the opportunity? If not, would tomorrow morning be an option?
My apologies once again.
Dave. 07776 190717
Hi Dave
Tomorrow morning is fine. I should be around all morning. What time would suit you?
I think it might be best to leave it until the first frost and the leaves have fallen, which is when I normally do the first prune, probably mid to late November. A Friday morning is generally good for me too so shall we say Friday 25th November in the morning?
25th is perfect. Thank you. Would 10.30am suit you?
25th November is perfect, thank you. Shall we say 10am?
10am is good. My address is 27 Highland Road, Cheltenham GL53 9LU.
Tel 01242 224747
See you on 25th November.
David
Hi Dave. Are you still coming this morning?